//Un//marked

// chapter 23 //

Dewpaw tried to put the image of Killian and Gannet out of his mind in the following days by pushing himself even harder during training. With Quartz still sick, Jaystrike and Beaver continued to oversee their progress; Sprucetail and Roxanne stopped by once in a while, fixing a hunter's crouch or frontal attack where they could. Tensions still ran high between Jaystrike and Crowpaw, to the point where the black trainee and Oats had agreed to switch groups.

"Why are the junkyard cats not training with us?" Hazel asked Jaystrike as their training group arrived back in camp. Sure enough, the former members of the Junkyard Gang sat lounging about the premises, licking their fur clean. Only Pixie and Flea were missing from their measly number – both had been forced to move into the medic's den because of greencough. With a slight twist of his stomach, Dewpaw remembered that Cinderblossom had been coughing as well and, at the urging of Killian, had moved into the sick den too.

"They know how to fight, for the most part," Jaystrike replied. "Though not as well as is needed if we are to fight DarkClan." Dewpaw's fur rose slightly. Across the camp, his eyes briefly met Gannet's and he looked away quickly.

"Think I can take you up on that climbing and jumping lesson?" he asked Oats.

The cream tom beamed. "Sprucetail assigned me to a hunting patrol earlier but we can do it right after! Maybe you'd like to come hunting too?"

Dewpaw considered this for a moment but his thoughts were interrupted by an approaching figure.

"More hunters means more freshkill. I think that's a great idea." Killian's shadow fell over the two trainees, Roxanne and Sprucetail on either side.

"I had wanted Cinderblossom to join us but it appears she is ill," Sprucetail confirmed. "You'll make a nice addition to our hunting patrol." They set out without another word.

Dewpaw found himself shadowing Killian, though he made sure to focus on finding prey. Since eating the herbs Crowpaw had given him he found his senses were back to normal, no longer obstructing his ability to hunt. He caught a flightless sparrow and, burying it, continued to follow Killian's scent.

He came upon him as the older tom was burying a small mouse.

"Successful hunting so far?" Killian asked, picking up on Dewpaw's scent.

"Just a sparrow," Dewpaw replied, seating himself in front of the former loner. "How about yours?"

The tabby flicked his tail at the mound. "One mouse. Left a shrew somewhere back there." He spoke nonchalantly and Dewpaw wondered if Killian knew he had overheard him. Drawing a breath, he resolved to ask the tom about DarkClan and if he knew anything.

"I know why you're here," Killian said before Dewpaw could speak.

The grey trainee started. "You do?"

"Of course. I've been spending a lot of time with your mother. You haven't."

Dewpaw cocked his head. "Is that a problem?"

Killian twitched his whiskers in amusement. "I don't know, is it?"

The trainee kept quiet for a moment. "I've been busy with training lately."

"Ah," the tabby replied slowly, a strange glimmer in his eye. "Want to be ready for the big moment, don't we?"

Dewpaw knew he could continue this conversation, let Killian know he'd overheard him and hopefully get some answers about DarkClan. It would go one of two ways: he would get the answers he sought or the tabby would pounce, unwilling to give up his secrets. But, somehow, words failed him.